Bête Noire
by Annie Ann
Summary: She knew associating with him was a fault. SasuSaku


Disclaimer: Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto. I do not own it.  
Author's Note: This prologue is a memory through Sakura's journey to her current condition. An exposition told through flashbacks. This story was originally going to be Rated M, but I changed it to T for the upcoming events will not be as gruesome as they were planned before.

Bête Noire means in french a (_person/place/thing_) that is particularly disliked or ignored.

Prologue - Memories

* * *

October 8, 2008

11:37 A.M.

—

A girl with unusual pink hair slept on a white hospital bed. Her round face was extremely pasty and her lips were drained of her usual pink color. Her cropped, coral hair reached to the tips of her shoulder with short bangs covering her rather wide forehead. Dark thick eyelashes hid her sparkling jade eyes, which made her look heavenly than she actually was. There were several bruises and scratches along her forearm and huge gash below her left elbow, which was covered with a large, white antiseptic band-aid. A low groan emitted from her mouth, her whole body moved just a bit, but it was very noticeable and also caught the attention of a nurse checking on her health status.

The nurse looked to be about in her late teens. She had long wavy dark brown cascaded down her back and mousy brown eyes. She pushed the nurses button on the side of the hospital bed. Seconds later, a blonde nurse around the same age as the brunette came walking in through the door.

"What happened?" The blonde started.

"Moved…" The brown haired nurse murmured.

"What… Speak louder, I can't hear you."

"The patient, she moved, not that much but it was certainly something."

The blonde nurse face lit up, mostly due to excitement. "Finally, Sakura is regaining her conscious back, ne Tenten-chan?"

The brown haired, whose name was Tenten, replied: "I'm so happy! Ino, go call the head nurse, I'm pretty sure she'd want to know," the look on Ino's face made Tenten go to 'persuading mode'. "It's mostly for Head Nurse Tsunade to give an MRI on Sakura, to check how her brain is, you know, if it is functioning properly. All those _important _things that Tsunade needs to do, or we will _lose _our job…" Ino perked up upon hearing the words 'lose our job'.

Tenten smirked. '_Caught her right on my fish hook, Ino is so easy._'

"Ok, I'm doing this for the sake of Sakura's health, because I'm her best buddy, and friends are obligated to helps their pals." With that, Ino 'hmped' and moved to the direction of the door and kept her head high up, much to Tenten's annoyance.

'_Must she be this prideful_?'

—

Tsunade was what you would call a mess freak; her whole office was cluttered with files from previous patients and currently attended patients in the hospital. Her usual tamed, straight blonde hair was puffed out in curls, she had dark bags under her majestic light brown orbs, a bottle of sake on her left hand, while she was writing reports about the patients on her right.

Knock, _knock_.

"Ugh," Tsunade groaned. "Come in." She put a hand on her aching head and soothed it with her magic fingers.

Ino opened the door quickly and dared not to shut it, the last time Ino came into the office and saw that the Head Nurse was drunk, the door closing made a loud noise and it had awaken the inner demon in Tsunade and well, it was an experience Ino will _never_ forget.

Tsunade raised her head from the papers on her table and saw Ino standing before her. "Yes Miss Yamanaka?" Tsunade questioned.

Ino cleared her throat, it was now or never. "Sakura _she_—"

"She's what Yamanaka; please don't tell me her hearts failing," interrupted Tsunade.

"No, just only the exact opposite of that, see today Tenten was the nurse assigned to her and when she was doing the daily check-ups she saw…" Ino trailed off.

Tsunade growled. "Spill it Yamanaka!"

"She moved today _and_—"

A girl with short raven hair and pearl eyes bursted through Tsunade's door, "Tsunade-sama its urgent news, Sakura is, _well_, awake!" she yelled.

Tsunade's tired eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you positive Hinata? You were working for almost twenty-four hours straight, are you sure you are not hallucinating? I really don't want to get my hopes up then let it get crushed in the end," tears rolled down Ino's flushed cheeks. "She's been in a coma… because of that… _thing_!"

Tsunade banged her head on the table. "For the last time Yamanaka, quit giving me a damn headache! She loved that thing that apparently has a name, _use it_. Sakura knew the punishments were severe and she agreed to it. It was love, no one, not even me, can stop it and you sure as hell know that Ino."

Ino gasped. '_Tsunade-sama __never calls me by my first name_', thought Ino. '_S__he must be serious_.'

"Now please, let us all go to Sakura's room and begin the testings on her."

—

"Sakura-chan…" Ino peered through Sakura's hospital room, she saw Sakura sitting on her bed calmly reading a book.

Sakura looked up to see Ino's grinning face before being tackled by said person.

"It is so great to see you awake and back in the living world!" Ino yelled ecstatically. "I really thought you were a goner…"

Ino pulled out of her bear hug. "My god, Sakura you look terrible! I'll need to fix you up later on…"

"Is that the first thing you say to me once I wake up, about my appearance?" replied Sakura.

"SAKURA!" exclaimed Tsunade. "You're finally awake."

Sakura on the other hand, was stoic. "Hello Tsunade-sama, nice to see you," she replied, her voice void of any emotion.

Tsunade's face fell. "You're still mad… from what happened, you know I didn't purposely tell, I was—"

"Enough!" screeched Sakura. "I've had enough of your bullshit, just please run the tests and leave… now!"

Tsunade was not a dumb person and she knew when Sakura was pissed, Sakura was really pissed. And to do something she does not want gets her further pissed (if that was possible, _oh yes_ it is possible). Tsunade checked Sakura's blood pressure and in less than thirty minutes the testing on Sakura were done and Tsunade wiped her sweaty brow and proceeded to leave the room.

"Stop," commanded Sakura. "Why did you do that Tsunade-shishou?"—Tsunade's face cracked a smile because Sakura called her sensei—"Why did you have to tell them about us…? Now, Sas— Now, he's being tortured endlessly… Even though he's not human, I know that one day he will begin to crack. Tsunade I trusted you… and you blew my faith in you… Tell me!" pestered Sakura.

"They forced me to drink Orange juice after forty-eight hours of torture and until then I of course kept my mouth shut about the dilemma between you and the guy, Sakura."

Sakura and Ino gasped in shock.

"Is that why you were gone for two days at the hospital? I knew it… all the nurses were lying to me and I knew it, but yet, I did not say anything," Sakura muttered indulgently.

"Yes Sakura you are right, the ANBU took me the day before in the night shift and _Aki_ was one of the witnesses and she knew what was going on. Anyways, I sniffed the drink to make sure there were not some sort of mind-controlling potion in it and so I being the dumb one drank the beverage out of thirst, and when they came back… I spilled the guts and you were both sentenced for severe torture. They were going to kill you Sakura."—Sakura's eyes widened—"But your noble parents convinced them otherwise, he wasn't so lucky though, and now like you said he's being inflicted upon emotionally and physically. If you were to persuade your father and mother the council might change their mind, he might be saved, or what was left of him will be… Sakura, you alone can save him, and I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused you. I will leave you forever in peace. I wish the best for you Sakura," Tsunade laughed a sad chuckle and left the room.

Sakura stared intently at the back figure of Tsunade. '_Tsunade-shishou… Arigatou!'_

"Sakura…" started Ino. "I am so, so sorry for making your life miserable because of that guy you were with… Will you ever forgive me…?"

"But you still did it anyway." Sakura rebuffed in an icy tone.

"Sakura-chan, I'm _s__orry…! Back then I was taught to avoid those things and treat them like animal, and now I know how wrong that is… it's inhumane. I was wrong and I doubt you'll ever forgive me… I guess I broke our promise back in the fields, ten years ago, when we were so naïve… Sakura-chan, oh how I wish I can turn back in time and treat him the way I should respect my best friend's future husband. And now I think I broke our friendship… Do you not think that Sakura?" questioned Ino._

Sakura shook her teary face. "Ino, we're friends for life remember—"

"Forever and ever," finished Ino.

With that, the two friends _hugged_—

One being forgiven,

and the other forgiving.

* * *

10 years earlier

October 8, 1998

3:44 P.M.

—

"_Sakura-chan, come here! I think I found something!_" _exclaimed a platinum blonde girl with blue orbs. She looked around the ages of 8 or 9, was wearing a brown and white striped turtleneck, brown cargo pants with pink flowers running along the side, and purple flip flops._

_Another girl around the blonde girl's age with long, pink hair and emerald eyes came running down the hill to catch up with the platinum blonde girl. "What do you need to show me Ino-pig?" she panted._

_Ino, the blonde girl, held a green flower with five sides and a little brown second-layer with five petals._ "_This is a Cotztomatl; it is extremely rare, especially here in Japan. Luckily though, my all-seeing eye caught one! Here Saki, this one is for you because you are someone very dear to me and also a rare catch, hence I should give you this pretty flower!_" _said Ino in a shrilly voice._

_Sakura's face brightened up._ "_Thanks Ino-chan! You are the bestest friend I could have! I love you!_"

"_Thanks Sakura-chan, or should I say Forehead Girl, you are my best friend too. I LOVE YOU!_" _replied Ino._

_Sakura pouted._ "_Ano, Ino that's not nice… calling me forehead girl, you know I despise that retched nickname._"

"_Hey! You called me Ino-pig a couple of minutes ago!_" _retorted Ino._

_Sakura grinned cheekily. _"_Oops… My bad! It sorta slipped through my mouth. Sorry!_"

_Ino began to laugh, and soon Sakura caught on as well._

_Sakura's laughter died down. _"_Ne, Ino-chan, will we be friends … forever?_"

"_Yes! Of course! Forever and ever, I pinky swear! No boys will come between our promise and absolutely nothing will stop us from being best buddies!_" _Ino beamed._

_Ino and Sakura linked their pinkies together and smiled at each other._

* * *

8 years earlier

April 16, 2000

7:56 P.M.

—

"_Sakura, guess what? It's my birthday and you are invited!_"_ said Ino. She handed Sakura an invitation allowing her to come to Ino's party._

_Sakura was wandering around the village when Ino came suddenly in front of her at the Ichiraku Ramen stand and began talking to Sakura about her tenth birthday bash._

_Sakura grinned. _"_Thanks Ino-chan! What should I wear though?_"

"_Don't worry Sakura-chan, with my help you'll be the hottest girl at my party._"

_Sakura's smile widened. "Thank you so much! I can't wait for your birthday."_

"_Bye Sakura! I have to go back to the flower shop._"_ Ino waved goodbye._

"_Heh,_"_ Sakura looked at where Ino left, _"_what to do now… hmm, aha!_"_ Sakura ran to direction of the forests surrounding Konoha. She ran and climbed the trees using her sort of developed chakra, though she was better at chakra control than most of her peers in school. A couple of minutes later Sakura saw that the sun was setting for the evening, she walked to place she believed she had come from._

"_Oh man! Where am I at?_"_ Sakura gazed at the trees around her. She spotted a tree slightly bent forward and her eyes twinkled. _"_That's where I came from._"_ She followed the small dirt path by the bent tree and walked through the trail made to go to the city and the forest back. When she was halfway near the city, she spotted a medium-sized wolf. The wolf was dark grey with white speckles and vibrant brown eyes, he was eyeing Sakura hungrily._

_'I don't think that wolf is friendly', thought Sakura._

_The wolf ran full speed to Sakura and almost bit her leg._

_A scream broke throughout the forest._

_Help! I. Need. Help—_

_A child with raven locks and onyx orbs came in a blink of an eye._

_Please help me sir._

He quickly ran to the wolf and picked the animal up in the air with monstrous strength and threw it at the nearest tree, she heard a _crack_, and looked at the beast, the back was bent in an odd angle. He walked slowly to her and bended down, he placed one of his pale hands towards her. Sakura grabbed his hand and jumped back up to her feet.

'_He is sooo kawaii! And strong too!_'

"_Thank you Mr.?_" _began Sakura, while dusting the dirt off her jeans._

"_Please no formality, my name is Sasuke,_"_ he replied in sweet, velvety voice that made Sakura shiver._

"_Sasuke… I have never seen you in the ninja academy? Are you new in town?_" _asked Sakura._

_Sasuke opened his mouth to talk, but was interrupted by Sakura's inquiry. "You're a vampire aren't you?_" _she bluntly questioned._

"_Yes._"

"_That is cool. My parents despise vampires so they always kept me away from them, but now I actually know one in real life, it is my dream come true,_"_ gushed Sakura, with metaphorical stars in her eyes._

_Sasuke sweat dropped._

"_How old are you Sasuke-kun?"_

"_What is with the 'kun' now?_"

"_Because you said no formalities, didn't you Sasuke-kun?_"

"_Yes, I did say that._"

_"Now! Stop delaying answering the question, how old are you Sasuke-kun?_"_ pouted Sakura, hoping that would let her get her answer she sought for._

"_I am nine years old. How about you… what is your name, I haven't got it yet…_"

"_Haruno, Haruno __Sakura,_"_ she beamed, proud of being a Haruno._

_Sasuke froze. "Haruno._"

"_Yes Haruno Sasuke-kun._"

"_The powerful noble family of Konoha?_"

"_Again yes Sasuke-kun._"

"_My kind's greatest enemy?_"

"_Pretty much, but please I am not an enemy, I am a friend. I always hated what my parents do to the poor, innocent vampires. I believe what they did was cruel and inhumane. Vampires should be treated as equals to us humans, don't you agree Sasuke-kun?_"

"_It will never happen anyways,_"_ he replied monotonously._

_Sakura grinned. _"_You may never know what might happen in the future Sasuke-kun._" _Sakura stuck her hand in front of Sasuke._

_Sasuke gave her a confused look._

"_I want to be friends with you, are you okay with that?_" _whispered Sakura._

"_A friend…" murmured Sasuke. "I never had a friend…_"

"_Silly, if you shake my hand, you're my best buddy!_"

_Sasuke grasped Sakura's hand and they shook._

"_Now we are friends Sasuke-kun!_"

* * *

5 years earlier

March 28, 2003

12:18 P.M.

—

"_Sasuke get your butt down here this instant!_"_ fumed Sakura__._

_Seconds later Sasuke came strolling down the hill of the meadow they were at._

"_What do you need Sakura?_"

"_I needed you to help me with this._" _She pointed at the banner with big red letters spelling: _'_Happy 13th Birthday Sakura!_'

"_Oh that… of course I'll assist you my dear Sakura._"

_She blushed._ '_Dang it, he has gotten sexier over the years and more muscular… I am deathly afraid of jumping him right now at this exact moment._'

_Sakura examined his physique: Sasuke still had that weird hair-do that looks surprisingly hot on him, he had his bangs covering the side of his face and his raven locks stick up in the back, his charcoal eyes are amazingly mesmerizing to look at, and his body has grown a lot over the ages, he is wearing a black t-shirt showing his toned body and his black shorts make all the girls of Konoha secretly, yes secretly, drool at his fine-shaped legs._

_How much I would love to rip apart that shirt and_—

"_Sakura are you finished daydreaming about me?_" _his silky voice interrupted her sexual thoughts._

_Sakura shook her head of nasty thoughts about Sasuke, after all, they were only friends._ "_Let us get on with the decorating, shall we Sasuke?_"

—_devour his whole body within seconds._

_A lady with blonde hair was standing on top of the hill Sasuke was at earlier and her amber eyes were glistening with fondness._

"_She is starting to grow loving him__._"

* * *

4 years earlier

June 3, 2004

2:32 P.M.

—

"_Sakura-chan can you come in here for a sec?_"_ Ino called from inside the Yamanaka flower shop._

"_Sure Ino-chan,_"_ Sakura went inside the store and walked to the front desk where Ino was at._ "_What is it that you need from me?_" _she asked._

"_I heard some rumors…_" _began Ino._

_Sakura quirked an eyebrow._ "_What rumors?_"

"_Please tell me it is a lie. Are you hanging out with a vampire, Sakura?_" _asked Ino._

_Sakura's pulse intensified, she did not want her friend, her first ever friend to despise her because of Sasuke. Taking a deep breath, Sakura calmed herself down within seconds._

"I_f I am what is wrong with that?_" _retorted Sakura._

_"Your parents are going to kill you. Sakura what are you thinking, it is a part of the rules that humans are not to be involved with those creatures romantically—_"

"_Stop this nonsense, Sasuke and I are only friends…_"

"_Sasuke__!_" _Ino repeated incredulously. _"_Now you are on first name basis?_"_ Ino questioned, anger obviously heard in her tone._

"_Yes we are, got a problem_?"

_Ino shook her head, shocked to her that the rumors were not false, but the truth._ "_Sakura, please… stop hanging out with that thing!_" _Ino begged softly._

_Sakura looked at Ino, unaffected by what she had said._ "_None of those things about vampires are true! They are kind, well I definitely know Sasuke is._"

_Ino scoffed._ "_Yeah that is what they all say, these things seduce humans and use them to get power and the rules clearly state it that under no circumstance that humans—_"

"_Fuck the rules,_" _Sakura interrupted harshly._ "_They have been dictating my whole entire life, and all I want is to live a free and normal life—_"

"_—and you do Sakura,_" _reasoned Ino._

"_No I don't__!_"_ screeched Sakura. _"_My whole life has been controlled by those twisted people everyone calls my parents, if it weren't for them Sasuke would not be the only vampire of his clan. He is lonely, desperately wanting a friend and everyone avoids him like he is a disease! I am his friend, his only friend and I am going to be helping him with the best of my abilities and if you can't get along with that Ino then I am afraid that we can no longer be friends._"

"_Forever and ever, don't you remember Sakura?_" _Ino's eyes were filled with tears._

"_Yeah I do. And may I ask you Ino do you remember telling me that no boy will ever come between us?_"

_Ino was a loss for words._

"_I thought so, good day Miss Yamanaka._" _Sakura left Ino's shop, never taking one look back._

_Ino fell down and reduced to hysterical sobs._

—

_Knock._

"_Come in,_" _Tsunade's tired voice was heard._

_Sakura came inside and sat in one of the chairs in front of the Godaime Hokage's desk._

"_Ah Sakura, nice to see you, I take it you had a wonderful break?_" _Tsunade said casually_.

_Sakura fiddled with the hem of her red qipao dress._ "_Yes I did. But I have a favor to ask of you._"

"_What is the favor that you need?_" _asked Tsunade, curiosity piquing her interest._

_Sakura stood up abruptly. _"_I would like to become your apprentice, Hokage-sama._"

_Tsunade was taken aback by Sakura's change of attitude._

_She cleared her throat, before replying back to Sakura saying:_ "_I normally don't take people as my apprentice, but seeing as you were one of the top students in the ninja academy and that you have excellent chakra control, I don't mind taking you in. But_," _Tsunade's tone became serious_, "_my training is vigorous and you will need to use all of your power and sometimes even more to pass through my challenges and training will began every morning at five, are you willing to do that?_"

"_Yes Hokage-sama I am ready for this._"

"_Okay report to the training grounds tomorrow morning at five, if that is all that you need from me you are dismissed._"

_Sakura bowed._ "_Hai Hokage-sama._"

_I guess this girl is the one, the person destined to break the curse of Konoha_.

* * *

3 years earlier

August 19, 2005

4:06 P.M.

—

_Fifteen year old Sakura was walking down the many streets of Konoha. She has matured over the ages. Her bust has surely gotten bigger, but not as big as Tsunade, her hair was cut short that reached a little bit beyond her shoulder, her jade eyes were still shining as ever, and her usual outfit which consisted of a long red dress and green spandex shorts were changed to: sleeveless red shirt, black spandex shorts, short pink apron with matching pink elbow protectors, and knee-high black combat boots. Her destination was the Uchiha Compound in the outskirts of Konoha to see her long-lasting friend, Uchiha Sasuke. She reached his house in a couple of minutes. Sakura ignored the cold glares from the villagers, and so she opened the gate and walked to Sasuke's house._

"_Sasuke, where are you?_" _shouted Sakura._

"I_'m right here Sakura,_" _his breath fanned her neck and Sakura flushed scarlet._

_She turned around and metally glomped him by the sight of his body._

_Sasuke has turned out to become, sexier. His white t-shirt revealed every inch of his godly muscles, his black shorts still revealed his fine legs, his raven bangs have become longer reaching to his shoulders and it still spiked in the back (like a chicken's arse), his pale face has become manlier, and his usual cold onyx eyes are surprisingly warm nowadays._

_Only a friend,_

_just a friend,_

"_Sasuke…_"_ Sakura became lost in his cloudy orbs. _"_Why are you sad…?_"

"Y_ou might be killed and it will be my fault. I do not want my best friend getting hurt because of my race. I care for you Sakura… as a friend._"

"_Oh, Sasuke-kun, don't worry about me. I am a ninja and I can take care of myself. Plus, even though parents hate me for hanging out with a vampire they know that they can't have another child and I am their only heir, they will never let me die because of you… But on the other hand…_"_ Sakura furrowed her eyebrows._

_Sasuke wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He pulled her chin up with with his index and middle fingers. Sakura looked at Sasuke's house in an attempt to avoid his heaty gaze._

"_Sakura, look at me._"

_Not looking._

"_Sakura, look at me._"

_Still not looking._

"_Sakura, look at me,_" _he added on with more emphasis._

_Do not turn around—_

"_Sakura,_" _Sasuke husky voice rang through Sakura's ear. _"_Look. At. Me._"

_Sakura shivered involuntarily. She stopped gazing at Sasuke's home and stared into his dark orbs._

"_Sasuke…_" _she began but was hushed by Sasuke's chapped lip on top of hers. Sasuke held onto her waist, tight, never wanting to let go. Sakura wrapped her slim arms around Sasuke's neck and tiptoed, further deepening the passionate kiss._ "_I think __I am in love with you Sasuke-kun,_" _Sakura murmured against Sasuke's lips._

"Hn."

* * *

2 years earlier

September 18, 2006

1:27 P.M.

—

"_Good morning Haruno-sama,_" _chirped a teenage girl. She had short, pixie-like red hair, sparkling blue eyes, round face, and a thin cheekbone._

"_Good morning,_" _replied Sakura._

_At the tender age of sixteen Sakura became the head nurse replacing Tsunade for the job, it was one of her dreams to come true, and she had been surely ecstatic when Tsunade told her of the news._

"_Wait a minute Aki-san,_" _called Sakura._

_The girl with red hair stopped in track and faced Sakura._ "_Yes Haruno-sama?_"

"_Do you know where the Hokage-sama is at these days? She has been gone for two days, it is quite unusual of her not calling in sick,_" _inquired Sakura._

_Aki's blue orbs widened._ "_N…Nothing is wrong with Tsunade-sama. She is busy working on important business papers with Shizune._"

_Sakura narrowed her eyes. _"_Are you sure you are telling me the truth?_"

"_Y-yes Haruno-sama._"

"_Okay, you are free to go, but one word of advice Aki-san: people don't like liars,_" _said Sakura cheerfully._

_Aki bowed and frantically ran to the nearest room._

_Sakura sighed and began working on her patients for the day._ '_What ever happened to Tsunade-shishou_?'

—

"_I'm home Sasuke-kun!_" _Sakura exclaimed once she entered the dark apartment. She looked around to see no one inside._ "_Oh I guess you are not here, I better finish the tomatoes I bought today before you come home._"

"_What tomatoes?_" _Sasuke said behind her._

_Sakura turned around to face him._ "_I'm playing around, there are no tomatoes._"

"_Hn,_" _grunted Sasuke._ "_I was really looking forward to eating something…__delectable_."

"_Delectable you say? Kiss me._" _Sakura leaned forward and licked his lips. Sakura's tongue was begging for entrance and Sasuke fully agreed. Sakura wrapped her legs around Sasuke's waist and tightened her grip on his neck. Sasuke fiddled with the doorknob to open their bedroom door and he pushed Sakura down on the bed._

"_I like it when you are rough Sasuke._" _Sakura began unzipping his jeans and threw them to the side of the room. She pulled him down with a searing kiss while Sasuke began unbuttoning her white medic blouse._

"_I love you Sasu—_"

_Boom._

"_Sasuke what is that noise?_" Sakura questioned, while sitting upwards on their queen-sized bed.

"_Our doom,_" _he replied sullenly, bangs shadowing his charcoal eyes._

"_What are you talki—_"

"_GET YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR MONSTER, BACK AWAY FROM THE GIRL._" _Several ANBU's appeared in their bedroom._

_An old man with brown hair who had bandages on his right hand and right eye came into the room and as soon as he saw the scene before him—Sasuke was held down by an ANBU clad only in boxers and Sakura was sitting on top of her bed with her hair messed up and her blouse half-way undone—his expression became one of disgust._

'_Danzo,_' _Sakura thought._ '_T__his is certainly going to be troublesome._'

"_Haruno Sakura are you not aware of Rule 6618A of the City of Konohagakure? Or has it just slipped your mind? Humans are not to interact with vampires romantically or the consequences will be severe,_" _Danzo said intimidatingly_. "And here I thought that coming from such a noble family you will know exceptionally well why to stay away from these grotesque monsters," he eyed Sasuke heatedly.

"_I am familiar with that Danzo—_"

"_Danzo-sama,_" _he replied._

"_Like I said Danzo I am familiar with that rule. And you know what? I truly think that you are nothing but a stuck-up, power-hungry, old fag. So kiss my ass cause I am not following no fucking dumb conduct-thing!_"

"_Why you insolent whore._" _Danzo slapped Sakura across the cheek._

_Sasuke began thrashing and almost ripped his hands from the chakra-induced strings if it wasn't for the ferret ANBU that kicked him in the shoulder, hard._

"_Let us get on with this,_" Danzo said annoyed. "_I, Danzo hereby declare Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke sentenced for treason and their punishment is severe torture. Take them away boys._"

_One of the ANBU's reached to grab Sakura. _"_Wait,_" _commanded Danzo._ "_Take the vampire first._"

_Sasuke was picked up from the floor and was taken before Sakura's watery eyes._

"_No… No— Sasuke-kun… NOOO! NOOOOOOO!_"

_And Sakura's world became darkness._

* * *

October 8, 2008

12:11 P.M.

—

"Sakura… I didn't really how this happened to you but all the council members told us medic-nins that it was all Sasuke's fault," said Ino.

"Ino you actually said his name," Sakura asked disbelief in her tone. She reached over to hug Ino. "I'm glad you are becoming a better person. I need your help though, I don't know what to do. How am I going to convince them to stop torturing S—Sasuke. It's going to be really difficult Ino. I really, _really_ need your help." Sakura voice became shaky.

"Don't worry Sakura, don't worry, I help you out no matter what happens. Because that is what friends are for," she vowed. Ino grasped Sakura's pale hand and tightened her grip.

"Forever and ever," Sakura grinned.

Ino smiled trying to reassure Sakura, "Yes Sakura, forever and ever, we will still be friends."

* * *

Prologue - end.


End file.
